BDEW publishes new power station list during the Hannover Messe:

Hildegard Müller: 43 percent of all planned new, large power stations have now been thrown into doubt

Situation for investment has become more acute / On a positive note: more offshore plants are coming online

"The situation on the power station market has become more acute. The uncertainty of investors continues to grow and the economic pressure on existing power stations is constantly increasing. Today, 43 percent of all planned new, large power stations have been thrown into doubt. This affects specifically 32 of a total of 74 facilities planned for the period up to 2020; last year it was just 22", explained Hildegard Müller, Chairwoman of the General Executive Management Board of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), at the presentation of the new BDEW power station list at the Hannover Messe.

In Hannover, the BDEW not only presented the new power station list but also the foreseeable closures and additions in terms of guaranteed power station capacity, according to the most recent information. "This is the only way to obtain a complete picture of the further developments on the power station market in the coming years", said Müller. For numerous projects in the power station list, the BDEW has concluded, it is uncertain whether they will ultimately be realised. A further negative effect comes from those power plants for which an application for closure is pending at the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA). Due to the phase-out of nuclear energy, further capacity will leave the grid. Müller: "According to our most recent information, we must assume that guaranteed capacity will fall by 13,600 megawatts from now until the last nuclear power station is switched off in 2022, if the political framework conditions are not changed. The pressure to act for the government is therefore clear."

"The facts of the BDEW power station list and the foreseen withdrawals from the existing power station fleet show that politicians must now, following the introduction of the EEG reform, immediately focus intensively on the problems on the power station market. The legislator must pave the way for capacity markets as announced in the coalition agreement so that we are prepared for possible shortages in a few years from now. This is clearly shown, amongst other things, by the fast growing reluctance of investors to act. Without prompt clarity as to the future market structures and the respective capacity market model, the situation regarding the power station fleet will lead to a serious problem for Germany as a location for business", explained Hildegard Müller.

According to the BDEW power station list, it is true that 74 larger plants in total, with an installed capacity of around 38,000 Megawatts, are in planning, in the approval process, approved, in construction or in test operation. Moreover, in this year and next, an expected five additional coal-fired power stations and four natural gas power stations will come online. "However, this may not be allowed to mask the fact that the plans for these plants were begun under different market conditions in the last decade. The profitable operation of these power stations on the current market is at least questionable", was Müller's opinion.

In contrast, the developments in the area of offshore wind plants are encouraging. "It is good news that more and more offshore wind farms are coming online. In this year and next year alone, nine wind farms are due to begin operation. One reason for this is that the network connection process is today much more structured and ordered. The measures instigated by the government, by transmission system operators and by plant operators are clearly having their desired effect", said Hildegard Müller.